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I had pretty much spaced #Writober3 until this morning. Because I’m in New Orleans and my schedule is out of my hands, I won’t be as on top of my daily writing as I have been the last couple of years, but I’m going to try to do the daily poems for OctPoWriMo and I started adding pictures to a #Writober3 Pinterest board to inspire Halloween themed flash fiction.

The first pins I added are pictures I took from my immediate surroundings and a crow claw that I had on my camera from late July. I decided not to number the images this year. Just choose the image on the day it speaks to you. I am going to start with this one:

The theme for this year’s Halloween party is “Strange Brood” and this little lady definitely came from one. I think writing her story will set the tone for a great #Writober.

The OctPoWriMo theme for today is Surrender. Here’s the poem I came up with:

Callistemon

Callistemon, the bottle brush tree
releases her red tassels
as I surrender to the moment
From elation as the light shines
through the erect, lush hibiscus
to the frustration of a burning throat
and muddy head of acclimation
I focus on the detailed lines of a glistening dragonfly’s wing
She extends
tail to the sun
on the tip of a twig
fully splayed

Like a kite escaping its tether
on a fitful wind, I surrender
to each fleeting change
Revelations bombard by the hour
The days pass too quickly
Each stuffed full of muti-days of meaning
I swirl in the dance of confusing splendor,
facing my first regret of ever catching your eye while I recognize the truth of my bliss
The white flag
wavers
I yield
to whatever comes

#FlashFicHive

Here it is. The final day of #Writober. How did you do? I hope you were inspired and wrote a bunch of flash fiction. Don’t forget to share your successes over at #FlashFicHive.

#NaNoWriMo

National Novel Writing Month starts tomorrow. Are you ready? I am very excited to get started on my new novel. I have so many fun ideas to stay motivated and inspired every day of November. I’ll be writing more about it later today. I hope you’ll join me. Would like to be my NaNo buddy? You can find me in NaNoWriMoland as marialberg.

An invasion of skeletons. Are they only after you because you accidentally summoned them with a spell book or an ancient amulet? Have all of the science class skeletons risen up to take over the world?

This image makes me think of the attack skeletons from Jason And The Argonauts but it also brings up the scene from Signs when the alien is on the roof.

I hear a lot of strange noises in this house. For the last couple of weeks, my neighbor across the street has been banging away at something with machinery and the banging sounds like it’s in the house. I’m going to try hard NOT to imagine that it’s the sound of an army of skeletons trying to get in.

#vss very short story

Suxie-Q wished she hadn’t motivated all of her listeners to air their dirty laundry. Now the skeletons were out of the closets and they were coming for her.

#OctPoWriMo

Theme: Forbidden

This theme fits great with the idea of letting the skeletons out of the closets. What forbidden secrets do they represent and why were they hidden away?

Today, I’m trying the abecedarian since I skipped it on Day 21, opting to use the theme from Day 19. The theme from day 21 – Nothing Remains the Same also goes well with the skeletons coming out of the closets.

Note: That was super fun! I recommend reading it aloud for extra pleasure. It reminds me of The Gashlycrumb Tinies by Edward Gorey or the The Sesame Street Library stories that would focus on only one letter. I especially remember a dragon story for the letter D.

#FlashFicHive

graphic by Anjela Curtis

Sadly, #Writober is coming to a close. Not today though!!! We still have today and tomorrow to write awesome stories. If you get a chance today, pick your two favorite images from #Writober2 and write anything and everything that comes to mind. Have fun with it.

Looking back through all the great visual inspiration, the two images I choose to focus on today are the great Gregory Crewdson scenes from Day 9 and Day 10. I hope you’ll join me and finish strong.

Isn’t this image amazing? I love this creature. Such a great design and rendering.

Last year, the alien image inspired me to write a story about the subtle reptilian invasion going on under our noses; co-workers and friends in human form until “the change”. This year, I’m thinking full-scale, violent invasion. A whole army of these awesome aliens coming right atcha!

#OctPoWriMo

Today in the day we invade
Because it’s the day we arrived
Why do they look so afraid?

Leaders try to ply us with trade
But we are not in any need
Today is the day we invade

An officer thinks loud voice will persuade
Their weapons will do no harm
Why do they look so afraid?

Scientists use numbers in hope to dissuade
But we have no choice; our fate is set
Today is the day we invade

They ask for patience as options are weighed
Gathered in houses with spires and crosses
Why do they look so afraid?

Look at this mess they have made
Denying this inevitable day
Today is the day we invade
Why do they look so afraid?

#FlashFicHive

graphic by Anjela Curtis

Since I didn’t participate in August, I looked back through October’s prompts. I had the most fun with Day 26‘s Circumlocution prompt, but I think my favorite writer’s prompts were the antagonist prompts on Day 23 and Day 24. I think I’ll take a look at an antagonists backstory and write from an antagonist’s point of view.

Are the alien invaders the antagonists, or the humans? Or are these aliens even invading earth? Maybe these awesome aliens have just discovered a new planet and encountered a completely different form of antagonist. So many ideas. Fun. Fun. Fun.

#RIP XII

Have you been doing the Readers Imbibing Peril challenge? How’s it going? Still a few days left. My planned reads kept changing, but I’ll make it. I only need to finish reading Slade House by David Mitchell for Peril of the Group Read and it’s good, so finishing shouldn’t be a problem.

I don’t have much to say about this one. I’m listening to Nancy Sinatra and wanting my plant to eat all the people. Or maybe the (other) crazy geneticists have already made the Genetically Modified Organisms (GMO) that will reach out and ask how you feel about them as they eat you back. That is terrifying enough.

Would you like to ride in my beautiful balloon?

#vss very short story

I didn’t think the first mutation was exciting enough to call the papers. Now, I think I might have wanted to nip that in the bud.

#OctPoWriMo

Theme: The Scent of a flower
Form: Haiku

Stop crossing the line
You know you are complicit
Time to make jerks go.

Sometimes I forget
Life is not debt to any
Mine to give all day

#FlashFicHive

graphic by Anjela Curtis

This is a good idea for today’s Mutation story, since I didn’t have a lot to say about my image. Exploring more images and words to go with it might help form more of a story idea. I made a mood/story board on pinterest.

There are many really great images of old, creepy costumes on the internet. This one really grabbed me. Maybe, it’s because I should know what they are, but don’t, or the dead-eyed expressionless affection of their pose. Is it just me, or is there a bony ghost hand grabbing for her dress?

So what are these rat (or weasel) people up to? This image makes me think of Willard (2003). Which instantly makes me think of one of my favorites Rubin & Ed . Are these the people who killed Rubin’s cat?

How will these characters act in your story? Are they the protagonists, antagonists, or secondary characters? Are they what eventually became of Willard’s rats? Or are they Bonnie and Clyde going to a masquerade?

#vss very short story

When they handed me their camera, pointing and squeaking, chirpy-growling instructions, I went ahead and took their picture; not sure if they were just really into their costumes, or I should get checked for the plague.

#OctPoWriMo

A Once and Unruly Mind
From the picture prompts, I connected most with Chaotic mind and Finding Connections Mind.
poem form: Cascade

Rats In The Walls

Scurrying through the chaos mind
Lying in wait for crumbs to drop
Spreading plague and pestilence they find
This year, there’s a bumper crop

Not afraid to bite the hand that feeds
Sniffing the trash for their own kind
Lavishly flaunting their basest needs
Scurrying through the chaos mind

Pushing the bar but never learning the maze
Biting each other for a bit of slop
But doing back-flips and tricks to join the next craze
Lying in wait for crumbs to drop

The chaos it swirls and whirls ad nauseum
May they choke on the poison from which they all dined
They chewed through the cage that tried to contain them
Spreading plague and pestilence they find

Who leads the rat people they want to know
They send out the loudest, a ridiculous prop
Shouting lie after lie, lies that will grow
This year there’s a bumper crop.

#FlashFicHive

graphic by Anjela Curtis

Today’s prompt is a little game. The objective is to make a new word or words from the word “Circumlocution”. I had too much fun with this. I hadn’t played with anagrams in a long time. Look for an odd piece of art from me later today.

I hope something in today’s post brings you some inspiration.

I truly appreciate everyone’s efforts that are inspiring me this #Writober. Special thanks to Morgan Dragonwillow morgandragonwillow.com@MDragonwillow and Anjela Curtis anjelacurtis.com@AnjelaCurtis.

When I was little, I had a tall antique bed with a canopy. I had to run and jump to get on it. During the day, when I wanted to hide from my mom and/or the world, I would play under it and be completely hidden, so it was very easy for me to imagine there was a man under it at night ready to grab my ankles if I got out of bed. Needless to say, having to go to the bathroom in the night was a terrifying situation.

Joshua Hoffine’s image captures that middle-of-the-night fear so well. Is this story about the monster, the girl, the blocks, or maybe the teddy bear? Is it about literal monsters under the bed, or maybe hidden secrets sneaking out from the past? What childhood fears did you have? Have you put them in a story yet?

#vss very short story

Penelope flipped on the light when she heard the blocks click against the wood floor. She watched with satisfaction as the enormous furry paws tried to right them with long black claws.

(edited to fit in a tweet) Penelope flipped on the light. She watched with satisfaction as enormous furry paws tried to right the disturbed blocks with long claws.#vss

This image is so creepy! I find the idea of someone looking back at me when I look through the peephole in my door, terrifying. It makes me think of strangers spying on people. These days it’s so easy and prevalent. There are so many creepers in the world. It must be a strange, base human desire some people can’t rise above.

This image makes me think of Rear Window (Did you know they made a re-make in 1998 with Christopher Reeve: Rear Window ?), Disturbia and The Burbs. One of my novels (still editing) explores the unseen underbelly of a quiet neighborhood. When you don’t know your neighbors, you’re surrounded by strangers.

It makes me think of the adages, “Just because you’re paranoid, it doesn’t mean you’re not being watched.” and “Just because you’re paranoid, it doesn’t mean someone’s not trying to kill you.”

#vss very short story

I was about to leave when I heard a shuffling on the other side of the door. I placed my eye to the peep hole only to see a bloated purple eye staring back at me. How long had he been there, watching?

#OctPoWriMo

Theme: When Lovers Meet

This theme is a little awkward with our visual prompt at first glance. It lends to stalker stories which I don’t want to write a poem about. However, we could twist it to be about overcoming the fear (for some the terror) of meeting new people. It could be a poem/story of social-phobia, or agoraphobia.

Blitz poem I would not have figured this out without examples, but once you see one, it makes sense and looks like fun.

The Song Of The Hermit

Someone is knocking
Someone I don’t know
Know no better
Know thyself alone
Alone in the dark
Alone against them all
All the wolves at the door
All knowledge is key
Key to success
Key to the safe
Safe from harm
Safe, not out
Out in the crowd
Out of time
Time to kill
Time will come
Come here little girl
Come from behind
Behind the line
Behind the door
Door to tomorrow
Door slammed shut
Shut it quick!
Shut out the fear
Fear of the world
Fear of a stranger
Stranger than fiction
Stranger things can happen
Happen to see
Happen upon love
Love the one you’re with
Love is blind
Blind as a bat
Blind to evil
Evil is as evil does
Evil all-seeing eye
Eye for an eye
Eye in the sky
Sky of blue
Sky wide open
Open the door
Open the lock
Lock your lips
Lock your heart
Heart of glass
Heart is broken
Broken . . .
Glass . . .

#FlashFicHive

Antagonist’s backstory

graphic by Anjela Curtis

I obviously got very excited about creating well-rounded antagonists yesterday. If you haven’t looked at it yet, there are a ton of great links in the #FlashFicHive section of #Writober Day 23. This prompt is also great for #NaNoWriMo prep.

If you want more information about writing great antagonists, here are more links:

What made this path in the snow? Is it human, animal, other? Does the main character know what happened here, or see it and respond? That could lead to a fun psychological horror. Ooh.

#vss very short story

After hours of hiking, lost in a sea of white, I was so happy to see a clear path, I didn’t let my wild mind register the possibilities of why it was made in blood-red streaks.

#OctPoWriMo

Theme: What is the Message? Based on the story of the mythical messenger Iris and her fraternal twin sister Arke. Iris was the messenger for the Olympians and Arke betrayed the Olympians and became the messenger for the Titans.

Cold snow blinding white, something ahead
A message or trail left blood red
Unclear route I choose to tread
I fear where I’ll be led
Could reveal the dead
On which it fed
Or a sled
Paint red
Dread

#FlashFicHive

Ooh, Antagonist’s P.O.V. (point of view).

graphic by Anjela Curtis

If I combine this with the image prompt, my antagonist might have some explaining to do. This could also combine well with the OctPoWriMo prompt. Who would be the antagonist of your story, Iris or Arke?

Writing Antagonists

Early on, in my weekly critique group, one of the writers was having a problem with her antagonist. She felt he was too cliche. He reminded her of Ming The Mercilessfrom Flash Gordon. We worked on making a more sympathetic villain by exploring his backstory. What formative events encouraged his current behavior? We also looked at specific affectations, behaviors and speech patterns that make him unique and humanize him.

Another thing to think about when creating your antagonist is the antagonist is not necessarily “the bad guy.” An antagonist may not even be a person. For instance, in movies like The Day After Tomorrow, Sharknado, The Perfect Storm and Twister (1996) the antagonists are “weather events”. The point of the antagonist is to be in opposition of your main character. There may be some more good advice on the subject in The One Hour Guide to Better Antagonists: How to Write Stronger Stories Using the Power of Opposition by Mary Lynn Mercer.
The two characters in Lunatics by Dave Barry and Alan Zweibel are good examples of oppositional antagonists. This fun story is told by each character in first person in alternating chapters. Each one sees himself as the good guy and the other as the bad guy and due to events, neither is under the best behavior.
My NaNoWriMo novel this year is going to have a diverse collection of antagonists, criminals of minor to major crimes who all think the protagonist has found them out. I’ll be exploring every aspect of the antagonist this November.
Want more information on creating great antagonists? Here are some links to what other writers are saying:

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